Spencer House
Eighteenth-century private palace overlooking Green Park, St James's, London
Spencer House is an eighteenth-century private palace at 27 St James's Place in London, hired for one wedding at a time, with eight first-floor State Rooms, receptions for 450 and seated dinners for 120.
Spencer House is an eighteenth-century private palace at 27 St James's Place, overlooking Green Park in the centre of London. It was built between 1756 and 1766 for John, first Earl Spencer, and its first-floor State Rooms, designed by James 'Athenian' Stuart, are among the earliest complete neoclassical interiors in Europe. The Grade I listed house was restored over ten years from 1985 and reopened in 1990. It is an events venue with no bedrooms, and hotels in St James's and Mayfair are a short walk away, as is Green Park Underground station.
Weddings are held on an exclusive-use basis, with all eight State Rooms given to one celebration. Civil ceremonies are licensed in the Great Room, Lady Spencer's Room, the Dining Room and the Palm Room, and the house holds up to 450 guests for a reception or 120 for a seated dinner. The in-house team handles all catering, and from May to September the Terrace opens above the park. The house is closed each August.
Spencer House
Gallery
Images courtesy of Spencer House
The Essentials
- Where
- St James's, London, England
- Capacity
- Up to 450 for a reception, up to 120 seated for dinner
- Ceremony
- Civil licence in four State Rooms, up to 100 theatre-style in the Great Room
- Price
- On enquiry
- Exclusive use
- All eight first-floor State Rooms
- Catering
- In-house team only
- Nearest airport
- Heathrow and London City
- Season
- Closed each August; Terrace open May to September
- Stay
- No bedrooms on site
A palace built for a marriage
Spencer House was built between 1756 and 1766 for John, first Earl Spencer. John Vardy began the design, and from 1759 James 'Athenian' Stuart, who had spent years measuring the antiquities of Greece, took over the first-floor State Rooms. They remain among the earliest and purest neoclassical interiors in Europe.
Restored and reopened
The Grade I listed house was restored over ten years from 1985 and reopened in 1990 by Diana, Princess of Wales, a direct descendant of the Earl and Countess who built it. It overlooks Green Park in the middle of St James's.
Eight State Rooms for one wedding
A wedding takes all eight first-floor State Rooms. Civil ceremonies are licensed in the Great Room, Lady Spencer's Room, the Dining Room and the Palm Room, and the reception then moves through the sequence of gilded rooms, with space for up to 450 guests.
Dinner and the summer Terrace
The in-house team prepares everything from canapes and bowl food to food stations and a formal dinner for up to 120, laid the length of the Great Room. From May to September the Terrace above the garden opens over Green Park.
An 18th-Century Palace
Built 1756 to 1766 for the first Earl Spencer, with State Rooms by James 'Athenian' Stuart.
The HouseEight State Rooms
The whole first floor, given to one wedding at a time on an exclusive-use basis.
Exclusive Use
Over Green Park
A private palace in St James's, with a Terrace over the park from May to September.
The SettingThe Table
In-house catering, from canapes through the State Rooms to a formal dinner in the Great Room.
Dining
The whole of Spencer House, to yourselves
All eight first-floor State Rooms are taken for one celebration, with no shared use and no second event in the building.
- All eight first-floor State Rooms
- A civil ceremony in one of four licensed State Rooms
- The Terrace over Green Park, May to September
Enquire about your wedding at
Spencer House
Share a few details about your wedding at Spencer House and your enquiry will be passed on to them. A reply cannot be promised, and no time can be given for it.
London
Spencer House stands at 27 St James's Place, in the heart of St James's in the City of Westminster, overlooking Green Park. Green Park Underground station is a few minutes' walk, the West End, Mayfair and the galleries and clubs of St James's are all close by, and London's airports are easily reached, so guests arrive in the centre of the city with everything around them.
Spencer House
27 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NR, England
Things to do nearby
- Green Park
- St James's
- Mayfair
- The West End
- Buckingham Palace
- Fortnum & Mason
Getting there
- London City (LCY)
- Heathrow (LHR)
Nearest station
Green Park (London Underground) is the nearest station, about 300 metres from the venue in a straight line.
What guests say
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Spencer House
Where is Spencer House?
It stands at 27 St James's Place in central London, overlooking Green Park. Green Park Underground station is a few minutes' walk, and Mayfair and the West End are close by.
Can the whole house be taken for a wedding?
Yes, and that is the only way it is hired. Each wedding has all eight first-floor State Rooms, with no other event in the building. The Terrace over Green Park is added from May to September.
How many guests can it hold?
Up to 450 guests for a reception across the State Rooms and up to 120 for a seated dinner. A civil ceremony seats up to 100 theatre-style in the Great Room, and Lady Spencer's Room seats up to 36.
Which rooms are licensed for ceremonies?
Civil ceremonies can be held in four State Rooms: the Great Room, Lady Spencer's Room, the Dining Room and the Palm Room. The Painted Room can be seen on the day but is not used for events, as it displays museum pieces.
Is there accommodation at Spencer House?
No. It is an events venue rather than a hotel, with many hotels a short walk away in St James's and Mayfair. The team is happy to advise on where guests might stay.
Who provides the catering?
The in-house team caters every event, from canapes and bowl food to food stations and a formal dinner laid the length of the Great Room. External caterers are not used.
When is the house closed?
It is closed to events each August. The Terrace over Green Park is available in May, June, July and September, and the State Rooms are used throughout the rest of the year.
How much does a wedding cost?
Hire is arranged per event on an exclusive-use basis, so the price is on enquiry.
Is it suitable for a small wedding?
Yes. The gilded Palm Room and Lady Spencer's Room, which seats 36 and is hung with hand-woven crimson silk, suit smaller ceremonies and dinners.
Can we see the Painted Room?
Yes, it can be viewed on the day. It is one of the earliest complete neoclassical interiors in Europe and is decorated on the theme of love.
